Beauty and the Beast
by InuGirl1028
Summary: Kagome finds herself running away from her abusive father, and having to leave her best friend Koga. She finds herself in a beautiful castle with a strange man who refuses to acknowledge her. Servants who fear him call him a beast, but Kagome thinks otherwise.* My twist on Beauty and the Beast. Rated T for suggestions of sexual harassment. If that bothers you, don't read! Enjoy (:
1. Best Friends

Hey guys, so this is pretty much my own twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. It's a little different but I hope it's still good, enjoy! (:

Disclaimer- I don't own Inuyasha!

"Kagome? Kagome!" I looked up from the letter I had just finished writing in response to my name being shouted a mere twenty feet from where I was currently perched in a tree. Relief filled my system in a great wave when I realized the voice belonged to my childhood friend Koga.

He stopped maybe twenty feet from my tree and I tried not to laugh as he searched for me.

I knew it wouldn't take long for him to find me. Koga was a wolf demon after all, they had an amazing sense of smell. As if on cue, he lifted his nose towards my tree, and our eyes met. A smile lit up his face and I giggled slightly as his reaction.

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Kags!" He quickly leaped through the branches until he was sitting calmly next to me on the thick tree branch. His dark, tanned skin made mine look like porcelain.

"I'm just getting better at hide and seek I guess." I mused quietly, looking around the leafy perch. When I looked back at him, his icy blue eyes were playful.

"I wasn't aware that we were playing hide and seek." He gave me a slight smile and nudged my shoulder with his. At this, I sighed, remembering the real reason that I was out here.

"We aren't." I said quietly as I closed my book which held the letter I was previously writing, and placed it on my lap gently. Sometimes I'd wish that I could become a character in one of my stories…they always had happy endings.

"Hiding from your Dad?" He asked in a comforting tone.

I nodded slowly. It was true…the reason I came to this secluded area in the woods was so I could get away from my father.

"Kagome…you know you don't have to stay with him." Koga said reassuringly, as he placed his warm hand over mine. I pulled my hand away from his gently, silently reminding him to keep within his boundaries. Any relationship in my life right now would be destructive. So, fortunately for me, the letter I'd just written would come in handy.

Koga has offered for me to stay with him at least a thousand times, but taking him up on his offer would only end with more pain, I'm sure of it.

I didn't respond to his gesture. I only slipped down the branches of the tree, slowly making my way towards the ground. Koga was on the forest floor in an instant, giving me his hand and helping me down.

As we walked, not talking, towards the village, a small breeze ruffled my hair. With the breeze came the scent of roses. This made me pause. Roses were not known to grow around here.

As I looked over my shoulder, however, I spotted the tall, dark spire of a tower about the tree line, barely visible. It was odd that I hadn't noticed it before.

When Koga started up a conversation, I left it at that and shrugged it off. Maybe someone had recently built it.

Koga and I walked and talked until I came to a stop in front of my home. The small cottage looked warm and inviting from the outside, but it was anything except that.

Koga looked at the cottage disapprovingly, no doubt being protective. Not once did I ever tell him what goes on while I'm alone in there, but he's gotten good at reading me. He sees the fear in my eyes when it's time to go home.

"I'll be okay, Koga. There's nothing to worry about." I reassured him, though I wasn't so sure myself; But I had to be brave. If Koga so much as glimpsed at the bruises covering my arms and torso, he would kill my father for sure.

He gave me a tight hug, and then released me all too soon. He was the only person who ever embraced me…at least the only person since my mother died. Looking him in the eyes right now was too painful. Especially after what I'm about to do. I hope he'd forgive me. I squeezed one of his hands tightly, and he looked at me as if he knew something was wrong, but he said nothing.

"Goodnight, Koga." I didn't wait for him to respond.

I felt my bravery ebbing away as I made my way closer to my home. The bravery being replaced by the icy chill of fear.

With any luck, my father would already be asleep, and there would be no trouble in what I was about to do.

I opened the door slowly, cautious not to make the door squeak. As I made my way through the kitchen and to my bedroom door, I passed my father's room. Thank the heavens he was heavily snoring.

I'd have to make this quick. I slipped into my bedroom and grabbed a medium sized satchel. I placed in it a few pairs of clothes, a knife, a compass, and some food and fresh water I'd been sneaking into my room for a few days now. I took the small letter I'd been writing out of my book. I placed it in the folds of my periwinkle dress, dirty from the walk home, and headed towards my door.

When I opened it, I was met with the cold black eyes of my father. He had an ugly sneer on his face, and as I always did, I feared for my life.

"Where do you think you're going you little brat?" Before I could make any moves to get away, he took a fist full of my hair and threw me onto the ground. Luckily, my dainty hands took most of the fall, but my head was still burning.

"You may have been able to get away this afternoon but now? Now you have nowhere to go." He took another fist full of my hair and pulled me up so I was eye level with him. He pushed me against the wall and then slapped me, hard.

'This is bad. I need to get away from here.' I thought desperately. He's never slapped me, only bruised my arms and kicked at my stomach. Maybe he thinks I won't leave if my face is mangled.

I cried out at he kicked at my legs, causing me to fall and started to sob uncontrollably as he kicked at my stomach repeatedly.

Amongst my crying, I felt him pick me up and push me onto the kitchen counter. What he did next shattered my hope of him ever returning to normal.

His hands became gentler, though only slightly when he touched me and he started to grab at places a father never should.

In this moment, I panicked. I needed to leave, and so help me I was going to do whatever it took to get away from this monster. I looked around desperately and found a large carving knife on the counter, I reached for it and was relieved when I had it in my hand.

I immediately plunged it into my fathers' side, and I scrambled away as he screamed and writhed on the floor. I had a minute at best.

I quickly ran back to my room, grabbed my satchel, my letter, and my coat, and fled through the back door. I ran, as fast as my legs could possibly take me through the cold night.

I only stopped when I made it to Koga's house. Looking around desperately for fear that my father had somehow caught up to me, I assured myself he was still on the floor of my once home. I slipped the small letter under the door, placed the cape like coat around my shoulders, pulled up the hood, and ran into the forest.

Hot tears were running down my cheeks. What the cause of them were…I wasn't sure. Whether it be sadness from leaving Koga, my only friend. Burning agony in my stomach from where my father repeatedly kicked, or the newfound hope and relief in my heart from finally escaping…I knew now that I was free.

I didn't care if I died out here. At least it would not be at the hands of that monster.

When I reached the small hot spring in the forest. I stopped to replenish my strength. I set my satchel down on a nearby fallen tree, and caught my breath. When I looked into the pond, I saw my ghastly reflection. I was thankful to only have this however…at least my face is not unrecognizable. I started to feel a little bit dizzy, and blamed it on my fatigue.

I realized it might be a good idea to stay here for the night. I would find a place to stay in the morning. Maybe I could see the tower from earlier…

It was my last thought as I drifted into a dark sleep.

So what did you think? It gets better for our beloved Kagome, just wait and see! (:


	2. The Abandoned Castle

Soo on to the next chapter! Where will Kagome go now that she's away from her childhood home? Read and find out ;D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha!

When I awoke in the morning, I laid in a fetal position in the mossy grass, my coat covering me like a blanket. The first thing I noticed was the pounding in my head. I felt as if someone was constantly hitting me in the temple with a sledgehammer.

I groaned lightly and reached up to massage my aching head, realizing that my entire body was stiff and sore. I sighed deeply, but remained in this position for another few minutes.

When I finally felt strong enough, I lifted my head and surveyed the area.

I was still lying next to the hot spring, my bag exactly where I'd left it the night before. The sun's rays danced playfully in between the leaves of the trees and cast shadowy mosaics on the forest floor and through the steaming waters of the spring.

I felt my stomach grumble and lifted myself up to a sitting position. I immediately regretted not packing any type of food.

'In the midst of panic, you don't think of trivial things such as food and water.' I thought sarcastically. I would just have to search a little bit quicker now to find nourishment. I let out a deep breath and stood up, trying to ignore the aches echoing through my body.

I picked up my satchel and turned in a circle, trying to decide on which way to go.

I recalled my last thought from the night before about finding the strange tower. I could not see it from where I currently was, but at least I knew the general direction.

After some back tracking about how I'd gotten to my current location, I decided that it was to the east of where I was now. I set off down a small path that led through the trees. I wondered if it used to be often walked on. Currently it was overgrown with weeds and vines.

As I walked through the peaceful woods, I listened to the birds chirp and sing, watching them fly by with a grace I wished I possessed. I envied the birds for being so free. They could fly to wherever they wanted to go.

I thought about what might be at this tower. Perhaps it was a castle. There was a very real possibility that it could be abandoned. If that was the case, perhaps I could find shelter there until I found my strength and I could set out to find another nearby village. However, I still clung onto the hope that someone was there and that they could help me.

In the end, it only took me about twenty minutes of walking before I saw a break in the woods. It wasn't a large break but I could clearly see a large wrought iron gate. The tip of the arc of the gate must've been at least ten feet tall.

As I got closer and closer to it, I started to notice other things. All of the trees around the area were either dead or slowly decaying. The gate connected to a smaller metal fence that seemed to stretch on forever in both directions. I hadn't realized it before, but the forest seemed to have a haunting atmosphere to it and it might me slightly uncomfortable.

'Maybe I shouldn't be here.' I thought. But the idea of leaving left my mind as quickly as it had come when I saw what lie beyond the large fence.

Past the gate, after the stretching cobblestone path lined with overgrown bushes and shrubs was a castle.

It was something I would've thought to see in a fairytale. Somehow though, this was no fairytale castle. It was dark…mostly black and gray. The several large spires stretching towards the sky were magnificent, but one in particular stood out. It was the highest tower…the one I'd seen in the woods.

I had previously thought that maybe the tower was new. That some wealthy family had decided to build a castle nearby, but looking at this structure…you could tell it had long been abandoned. Vines were clinging onto the bars of the fence, and I was somehow sure they covered the castle also.

I gently placed my hand on the cold metal of the gate, giving an experimental push to see if it was open. To my surprise, the gate opened with a loud squeak. I looked around nervously, somehow expecting someone to catch me trespassing.

Finding no one, I took in a deep breath and stepped onto the cobblestone path beyond the open gate. I cautiously closed the gate back to its previous position.

I drew my hood over my head. The small act made me feel slightly less vulnerable in this stressful situation. I gripped my satchel closer to my side and began walking slowly down the path.

Again, I noticed the unfamiliar smell of roses. I looked off to my side and saw that the overgrown bushes held flowers in their thorns and thickets. They were still small, not fully bloomed and barely noticeable. I pondered on how there were roses growing here…it was not often that they were found here unless a local merchant brought them from another town.

I only knew that the smell was roses because Koga had once bought me a single rose for my birthday, and I had repeatedly inhaled the sweet smell until it finally withered away. For those few short days, it was my only source of happiness.

More and more rose bushes lined the path as a walked onward, filling my mind with their sweet scent.

I repeatedly looked around me because of the feeling that I was being watched. It unnerved me and I drew my coat closer to me in a small act of comfort.

I walked farther and farther down the path seeing several new things like statues of angels and gargoyles, and large fountains that no longer seemed to work.

After finally reaching the larger than life wooden double doors of the castle, I looked back to see the entire front courtyard. From here is resembled a graveyard. Gray and lifeless.

I hastily turned from the view and stared up at the large doors. They had to at least be as tall as four of me.

I next saw the brass door knockers. Deciding that it would be rude to barge in if someone actually did live here, I grabbed one of the metal rings and beat it against the door three times.

I waited several minutes for a reply of any kind. I heard no voices, and no movement from inside. I knew then that it must be deserted.

And with that thought I pushed forward on the large door, which was not as heavy as you'd think it would be, and walked into the darkness.

**Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger! If I kept going the chapter would've been much much longer. Hope you all enjoyed it though! (: I'm going to try and do a weekly update but don't kill me if it's a little late sometimes. I'll try uploading on Friday's or Saturday's but it might be late depending on if I have anything going on that week (:**

**A special shout out to Cats4789. To be quite honest, I wasn't going to continue this fic. I've had several versions of this chapter written up and none of them really seemed good. I was going to end up deleting it, but this morning I got your review (you weren't being pushy by the way) and it gave me encouragement to continue (: So a special thank you to you, and I hope you liked this chapter!**


	3. The Intruder

Oooh so what will Kagome find in the 'abandoned' castle? Read and find out! :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha!

Inside the darkness of the castle, it was easy to believe that I was being watched. It was as if I could feel eyes watching me from the shadows. There seemed to be large windows on every wall, but they were all covered up with red velvet drapes.

Putting aside that it was so dark I could barely see in front of me, the castle was tidy. It was odd…there was no dust, no dirt, and nothing seemed to be out of order. Someone must either still live here or it was very recently that the owners moved on.

There was a very large staircase in front of me that branched off to different wings of the castle. The steps were red, like the curtains, and the railings were a dull gold color.

Looking around a few more times to ensure I wasn't intruding on someone's home, I found a glass door. It was far off to my right, under one of the balconies that looked down on the first floor of the castle. For some strange reason…this plain glass door held my attention and I made my way over to it.

The opaque glass cast shimmering sunlight into a puddle at my feet. Hesitantly, I pushed open the door, walking out into the warm sunlight.

The first thing I noticed was the sweet smell of roses. After my eyes adjusted to the bright light of the morning, they were the first thing I saw. Hundreds of roses in every color I could think of. The vibrant colors were like an explosion compared to the drooping rose bushes that were in front of the castle.

It may have been the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

As soon as I could get my legs to cooperate with me, I pulled my hood over my head and made my way into the maze of rose bushes. Luckily, none were tall enough so that I couldn't see where I'd come. I noticed other plants around, which held other smaller flowers, only adding to the beauty.

I was in the midst of feeling the soft petals of a pink rose when I suddenly felt myself snatched back by the back of my coat and being thrown to the ground. I let out a squeak of surprise when I hit the dirt, landing on my stomach.

For one terrible moment all I could think was that my father had found me.

"What are you doing here?!" It was a deep, unfamiliar voice. One that held unbelievable anger and hatred. I was momentarily relieved that it was not my father…but my relief quickly vanished when I realized that this person could probably do much worse to me.

Although my body trembled with fear, I looked up at him.

It was a man about my age. He was tall…almost taller than Kouga. He had long white hair that grew down past his shoulder blades. He also had what looked like small white dog ears on top of his head. He stood in a stance that was stiff and rigid. I noticed then that he wasn't even looking at me. He was looking at the roses…as if to make sure that they hadn't been harmed.

Though I couldn't see his eyes, I knew his face held anger. I felt even more terrified for my own life.

"Please…I'm so sorry. I…I didn't know anyone still lived here. I was running away and had nowhere else to go…" I was now half sitting on the grass, supporting myself on my arms that were quivering from the adrenaline.

"I will leave now…I'm sorry to have intruded." I tried to stand but I felt my strength leave me when he turned to face me.

It was the first time I'd seen his eyes. They were golden…like someone had mixed the sun's rays and all things beautiful into a glimmering liquid. Though his eyes were still angrily concentrated on me…I couldn't help but see an old sadness in them. As if he'd somehow given up on himself.

"What exactly are you running away from that would possess you to walk right into an old castle like this?" His question sounded more like an accusation…as if he thought it wasn't possible for someone to come here, no matter the circumstances.

I backed away a little bit, feeling slightly uncomfortable with his searching glare.

"My father." It brought me so much pain to utter those two words that they only escaped my mouth as a whisper. I realized I couldn't meet his eyes when I said it, instead looking at the ground. When I looked back up, his eyes had softened slightly, and I could tell he had seen the large bruise stretching across my face.

He seemed to not really know what to say anymore. How do you respond to something like that?

"He hurt you?" It was a simple question, but it brought such bad memories and heartache.

I nodded, not wanting to dwell any further on the things my father had done to me in his rage.

"Come with me." I watched him turn towards the shadowy castle and stride through the rose bushes towards it.

I dallied for a second, not exactly knowing how to respond. He had been seething with anger only moments ago. Not wanting to infuriate him more, I followed.

I walked with my hands clasped together and held down. I tried not to act so curious but my eyes could not keep from the assortment of colored roses.

The man must've noticed my gaze but he never said anything about it.

When he led me into the castle, I immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere. I saw several people murmuring together who looked up at our approach.

They both looked very shocked at my presence.

"Kaede, this girl is hurt. See to it that she is taken care of. Sango, when Kaede is finished, show her to her room." His demand had me at a loss for words. On one hand, I was happy to have a place to stay. On the other, I barely knew this man and he had suddenly just let me live in his home.

When the old woman, Kaede, stepped forward and guided me towards another room on the left of the front doors. It seemed to be a small healing room. The other girl who was previously conversing with Kaede followed. She was young, with dark brown hair that reached her hips. Her brown eyes were kind but they held a deep sadness.

Kaede sat me down on one of the many white beds in the chamber, and the girl, Sango I presumed, sat next to me on the bed. She must've sensed my distress about the man.

"Don't worry about him. Inuyasha has always had a quick temper." She sat down next to me.

_So his name is Inuyasha?_ I thought to myself.

"What were you doing in here anyways?" Sango's tone wasn't accusing, only curious.

"I was running from my father. He was a terrible man. I found this place and I thought that no one lived here." I winced slightly when Kaede cleaned one of my deeper cuts. When Sango didn't respond to my statement, I quickly asked my questions.

"He intends for me to stay here? Why? I was practically trespassing." I felt guilty about coming into this place now.

"I never meant to intrude…I only wished to find a safe place." I lowered my gaze to my feet.

"I suppose he sympathizes with you. His father wasn't exactly the kindest to him either. Perhaps he doesn't want anyone else to be hurt in the same way he was." She told me, absently braiding a piece of her long hair.

I thought about her words. Perhaps that was why his face softened ever so slightly when he saw the bruise on my cheek.

"What is your name, child?" Kaede asked kindly. I didn't realize until now that no one here even knew who I was.

"Kagome. My name is Kagome." Both of the women nodded.

"Lost. That is what your name means." Kaede spoke gruffly. She was now bandaging my larger wounds.

_I suppose I am lost…in my own way._ I thought, but chose not to speak of it.

"After Kaede is finished, I will show you to your room. Then perhaps I could introduce you to everyone after dinner?" Sango asked hopefully, giving me a small smile.

I didn't respond right away…it seemed to me like everything was moving too fast.

"Perhaps I could rest soon? The nights have not been kind to me for a very long time." I did not mean to be rude, but I didn't think I could handle being awake for that much longer.

She nodded in understanding.

"Of course. I will tell the master of this and perhaps tomorrow you will see the castle and all its residents." She smiled at me, and I returned with a halfhearted one.

"There you go child. You should be feeling better soon." Kaede took her leave, and I watched as she slightly hobbled out of the room.

"Come on, you've got to see your room. I have a feeling you'll like it." She almost brimmed over with excitement, and I began to wonder when it was the last time that they had visitors.

I shakily got up and followed her out of the chamber, and towards the large red staircase. We veered off to the right at the top of the steps and went to the next staircase on the right, which led to a pair of large double doors.

We walked down several hallways until Sango came to a stop in front of a room. She gave me a grin and opened up the doors.

Walking inside, I saw that the room was beautiful. There was a large pink and yellow canopy bed pushed against the east wall. There was a huge dresser and wooden desk opposite of the bed, and a large, glass window on the far end of the room. A small couch was built into the window frame so I could sit and look out the large window.

The walls were a dull yellow, with small, delicate roses painted at intervals.

I almost couldn't comprehend that I was just being given this room.

"Would you like for me to bring you dinner, Kagome?" Sango asked politely. I tore my eyes away from the entirety of the room to look at her.

"No, thank you. I don't feel all that hungry." Although I felt as if I was starving, I knew I wouldn't be able to bring myself to eat.

"Understood. I will come to wake you tomorrow morning. Have a good rest." She turned and walked out of my room, closing the large door behind her.

Even through the amazement with the room, I felt everything begin to settle in. The weight of what I'd just done.

I thought about Kouga then. It must've been unfair and cruel to leave him with only a little note.

I thought about our childhood together, about all of the fun things we'd done, and I thought about the future I could've had with him.

I'd always loved him. Maybe not quite enough to marry him, but we had always talked about running away. Never looking back. But that was impossible now.

I had already run away, and I'd done it without him. Tears welled in my eyes and spilled over, rolling down my cheeks.

I carried myself over to the window.

Looking out over the castle gardens, I began to sob, mourning for the life I knew I could've never had with the only person I'd ever truly cared about.

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter! So just to clear some things up, unlike the Disney Beauty and the Beast, there aren't any talking inanimate objects. Inuyasha is the master, and the rest of the characters are 'servants', though they hold the same relationship with Inuyasha that they do in the show.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It's much appreciated and without your support I probably wouldn't be continuing this.


	4. New Faces

**Hey guys! I am so so so so so sorry for the late update this week! My Dad's been gone for two months and he just came home on Saturday, plus my grandparents are here visiting so I haven't had a lot of time to finish this chapter. Forgive me! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**

I woke the next morning with the dawn. The light of the rising sun warmed my cheeks. I realized I was laying on the seat built into the window. I must've fallen asleep here.

I sat up and looked out the large window. From the view I could see the slight mist still hovering over the roses, the morning sun turning them different shades of colors.

I didn't know for certain when Sango was going to come for me. Until then, I decided, I'll just sit and watch the sunrise. It had been something I'd often done at home, usually from the roof of our house. But this was far more beautiful. No large trees blocked the view, it merely looked like the sun was rising up over the distant mountains.

I heard a soft knock on my door and was slightly disappointed that I wouldn't be able to watch the sunrise.

"Come in!" I yelled.

Sango walked in then, with a large smile on her face.

"Good morning, Kagome! I brought you a surprise! And breakfast." She said cheerfully, walking over to my bed.

I looked at her from my seat by the window, hesitant to move. Eventually I did, intrigued with the surprise. It seemed that my stomach was also intrigued by the mention of breakfast.

Another girl walked in behind Sango. She had long red hair that was pulled into pigtails on either side of her head. She had bright green eyes and wore a simple tan dress. She held a tray that held juice, bread, and cheese. It looked amazing.

"Kagome, this is Ayame." Ayame gave me a small smile and a curt nod. I returned the gesture.

"And this…is your surprise." I looked to wear Sango gestured and saw the light purple dress laying on top of my bed. It was simple, like Ayame's, but beautiful.

"Sango it's beautiful…but I don't need this…you have given me so much already." I felt my cheeks flush. I wasn't used to being treated like this.

"It is from Inuyasha's mother. We've informed her of what happened, and she told me to give this to you."

"Are you sure it's alright?" I was hesitant to accept the dress. They didn't have to treat me like this…Inuyasha was only going to allow me to stay for a few days right? Then they'd send me on my way.

She nodded happily, and I hesitantly accepted the dress, and the breakfast.

Sango didn't leave as I put on the dress, and I was grateful that she was there when I needed help getting into it.

As she tied the laces on the dress, I ate a piece of bread. In the quiet silence, I tried to make conversation.

"So you said I was going to meet the rest of the members of the house right?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.

She nodded happily and smiled.

"Everyone will love you. Except maybe Sesshomaru…he doesn't like anyone except Rin." I didn't know who these people were but I was sure to find out soon.

After finishing my slice of bread, Sango escorted me out of my bedroom. She led me down the long hallway, pointing out different rooms.

She gestured to the room next to mine.

"This is my room, so if you ever need anything then I'm only a few steps away." She smiled brightly and I returned the gesture.

She explained that the room directly across the hall from my room was Ayame's.

Sango ushered me out of the hallway, and after making several turns, we walked down the grand stairs which I admired the past night.

I admired Sango's grace as she stepped lightly down the velvet red stairs. I held onto the railings as we walked to make sure I wouldn't make a complete fool of myself.

At the bottom of the stairs, I noticed that there was no one present.

Sango kept walking, and I saw that she was heading towards the same glass door I'd seen yesterday. I suddenly became excited to see the roses again. As soon as Sango opened the door the scent wafted around me in the most amazing way.

I felt a small smile tug at my lips as we walked out into the sunlight.

Although I was expecting the roses, I wasn't expecting to see the six other figures outside.

There was a man who wore black leather riding pants and boots, and a purple vest. A small boy, who oddly looked more like a fox than a child. The old lady, Kaede, that tended to my wounds the day prior. A girl around my age, she was petite and graced us with an optimistic smile as soon as she saw us. And then a young boy who looked very similar to Sango. The boy held a small cat in his arms. The cat had two fluffy tails, but was still adorable.

"Everyone! This is Kagome. She's our new guest." At Sango's statement, everyone stopped what they'd been doing, which hadn't been much except for the man wearing the purple vest had been practicing with a staff.

They all turned to look at me, and I felt myself blush under all of their gazes. Sango lightly tugged my arm and led me over to the man with the purple vest first. His violet eyes gazed at my face as we neared.

"Kagome, this is Miroku." The man, Miroku, bowed his head and placed a flirtatious kiss on my hand.

"It is a fine pleasure to meet a beauty such as yourself Lady Kagome." I was taken aback by how forward the man was. I pulled my hand away gently, but not before Sango proceeded to slap his face none too gently.

Miroku looked slightly ashamed of himself, but his expression was a comical one.

Sango then faced the small boy. He looked very excited for some reason, and I wondered if it was because of me.

"Kagome, this is Shippo." I smiled down at him, and for the first time, noticed that he indeed was a fox. A kitsune to be exact. He had brown-orange hair and bright green eyes that sparkled in the sun. Without hesitation, he jumped up into my arms.

I wasn't expecting the sudden movement, but caught him nonetheless. I laughed at his antics.

"Hi Kagome! It's nice to meet you!" He giggled and I couldn't help but feel welcomed by him.

"It's nice to meet you too, Shippo." He didn't seem like he wanted me to let him down anytime soon, so I simply carried him with me as Sango continued with the introductions.

I nodded to Kaede with a kind smile as we passed her, and she did the same to me.

"This is Rin, Kagome. Her and Ayame are two of my closest friends." Sango motioned to the petite girl. She had dark brown hair, almost black, with chocolate eyes, almost the same color as mine. Her eyes held a certain innocence and she had a child-like air.

She offered her hand to me, and I took it. She placed her other hand on top of mine and squeezed lightly.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know you better, Kagome." She looked like she wanted to say something else, but from the look Sango gave her, I saw that she decided against it. I gave her another smile before Sango led me to the boy and two-tailed cat.

"Kagome this is my brother Kohaku, and our twin-tail, Kirara." For some reason I couldn't understand, I saw Sango's shoulders droop in what looked like relief, though I wasn't sure.

The boy had brown hair the same color as Sango's, but something about his eyes seemed off. It was as if they held a deep sadness, much like Sango's, beneath the happy mask.

He smiled at me and though I could see through it, I smiled back. The cat mewed softly and I giggled at the sheer adorableness.

I turned to face everyone I'd just met.

"It was very nice meeting you all…I hope to become friends with you all while I am here." A small part of me chastised myself for saying such things. I didn't even known how long I'd be staying here. These people have shown me such kindness…it made me sad to think I'd have to leave at one point.

I didn't want to leave them, but Sango insisted that I meet Inuyasha's mother.

I didn't quite pay attention to where Sango was taking me, but when she pushed open a pair of large double doors, I noticed that we were in what looked to be a study.

I saw Inuyasha first. He stood on the right of the large desk placed in the center of the study. He didn't look to happy, though I was relieved it didn't seem to be directed at me. When he noticed me, he looked away quickly, but not before I saw a bit of the anger fade from his features.

The next person I saw was a man standing on the opposite side of the room, glaring at Inuyasha. He had the same silver white hair, though it seemed longer on him. Their eyes were the same golden hue, though the man's seemed cold and distant. He had purple marks on his skin, including a purple crescent moon on his forehead. He did not make any movement to show that he noticed our presence.

Then I noticed the woman sitting at the large desk. She had long dark brown hair that must have reached her lower back. Her brown eyes were warm and kind, though they crinkled in a frustrated manner.

She looked up at me and I felt the cold air of the room dissipate. A warm smile lit her face up.

"Ah, you must be Kagome! It is such a pleasure to meet you." She immediately stood and walked over to give me a short hug. Though I didn't know her, I didn't protest. She had a motherly air about her that made her a pleasant presence to be around.

"I am Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother and Sesshomaru's step-mother." She gestured to the other man, who I assumed to be Sesshomaru.

"It's very nice to meet you Lady Izayoi. It's a great kindness for you all to allow me to stay here…even if only for a little while." I smiled sadly, and watched as Inuyasha quirked a brow in slight confusion. I looked back to his brother who seemed to be pretending I didn't exist.

I glanced back at Inuyasha, only for him to avert his eyes back to his mother. I wondered if he'd began to regret his decision to let me stay here.

Izayoi's words cut through my previous thoughts.

"I was just about to go to the kitchen and start preparing for tonight's dinner. Kagome would you like to join me?" She smiled sweetly at me. I smiled and nodded. Cooking had always calmed me down in stressful times.

She took my hand and walked me out of the office, leaving Sango, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru looking after us.

I looked over my shoulder to look at them once more.

Sango smiled approvingly. Sesshomaru's eyes held cold indifference and I had to remember what Sango said about him only liking Rin.

Inuyasha looked at me curiously, but as soon as our eyes met, he looked away.

As I followed Izayoi down the hallway, I admired the paintings that hung on the tall walls. Each was beautiful in its own way, though they were all different from one another.

"My husband used to collect these when he'd go on expeditions." I saw her smile in my direction, but I noted the sadness in her eyes.

Before I could speak further, she made a turn and I was graced with the sight of the enormous kitchen. I saw Rin standing by the stove.

She turned when we entered and gave us a smile.

"Hi Kagome! Here to help us out?" She positively beamed, and I was happy to know that it seemed Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were the only ones who didn't enjoy my company.

I nodded and listened intently as she gave me instructions on what we were cooking.

Needless to say, I enjoyed spending the rest of my day in the kitchen.

That evening, after dinner had been fully prepared, I retreated to my bedroom. I laid on top of my bed, hoping to rest my eyes for a few minutes.

My hope dissolved when I heard a hesitant knock at my door.

I strode over and pulled the door open.

I was met with Inuyasha's golden eyes. My breath hitched a bit, not really sure what to say to him.

"Y-yes?" I stuttured. I noticed that he didn't look angry this time only slightly embarrassed.

"My mother wanted me to escort you to dinner." He didn't meet my eyes when he said it, and I found it a little cute. I smiled a little bit, hoping to lighten the stressed air.

"Give me just a moment. I've been cooking all day and I'm absolutely filthy." He smirked and nodded at that and I felt quite triumphant.

He stepped back and I closed the door softly. I rushed back into my room and suddenly realized that I had nothing to wear, and my newest dress from Lady Izayoi had been dirtied while we were cooking.

I looked in the closet then, and say that there were several other dresses inside. Someone must've put them there while I was away from my room.

I quickly found a light green down with short sleeves. I slipped out of my previous gown and put on the clean gown.

Walking over to the mirror, I proceeded to manage my disarray of hair. Once it was free of knots, I let it fall loose between my shoulder blades.

When I felt I looked decent, I pulled open the door once more to empty space. I gazed around in confusion, only to find Inuyasha leaning against the wall next to my door. He had been studying the carpet for some reason.

"I'm ready." I announced quietly. When he looked at me, I saw his eyes widen a bit, and I felt heat rush to my cheeks.

He cleared his throat and offered me his arm. I took it and he led me down the hallway.

We didn't speak on the way to wherever we were going. It was a tense silence that I almost tried to fill on several occasions, but decided against it.

I noticed that he was very warm, even through the shirt he wore. His gaze was fixed ahead and I wondered if he felt uncomfortable having to do this.

My eyes widened as he led me into the dining room. It was large and beautiful, with candles lit along all of the walls.

Everyone I'd just met was sitting at the table, and they all smiled at me, save for Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha let go of me then, and walked around the table to take his place next to Sesshomaru. There was an empty seat directly in front of his that I assumed was mine.

Throughout dinner, Izayoi, Rin and I were praised on our cooking skills. Many of us laughed a lot, and I overjoyed to be in such a happy place.

There were several instances when I saw Inuyasha looking at me. The first few times I met his gaze but after a while I decided I'd try not to notice.

"So Kagome…when we were speaking earlier you were talking about being here only a short while? Are you leaving?" Izayoi asked and I was ultimately confused by her question. I looked up to Inuyasha then and I saw the same question in his eyes.

"Well…I assumed that after a few days I'd be sent on my way." I spoke quietly, but I knew that everyone at the table had been listening for my answer.

Inuyasha furrowed his brow and I worried that I'd said something wrong.

"Kagome, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you'd like." Izayoi smiled at me. I smiled back, feeling like a large weight had suddenly been lifted off my shoulders. I had been wondering throughout the day when they would ask me to leave, and for some reason, the thought made me extremely sad.

"I haven't felt this much happiness in a very long time. I would love to stay here." I smiled and everyone, save for a few of course, cheered and laughed.

I looked at Inuyasha and saw a small smile gracing his lips, and I wondered if maybe this would be my home.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and jokes.

After everyone had finished eating, we all started to retire to our bedrooms.

I was surprised when Inuyasha offered to escort me back.

"Thank you. I'd probably have gotten lost without an escort." I smiled, and he chuckled.

"Well we wouldn't want that now would we?" He started to walk out of the dining room and I followed, trying to memorize my way around.

The trip back was silent, but not uncomfortable.

At my door, he turned to me.

"Goodnight Kagome." He said it quietly, but the hall was empty so I could easily hear it. I smiled up at him.

"Goodnight Inuyasha." I turned to my bedroom and walked in, softly shutting the door behind me.

It was the first time we'd actually addressed each other.

It didn't take long for me to change into a nightgown and fall on top of my bed.

I didn't know what I expected that night. I cried myself to sleep the night before, and even then nightmares woke me up periodically.

But this night, I slept peacefully, and the only thing I dreamt of were golden eyes and a small smile.

**Author's Note:** Oh my goodness guys! I'm so sorry for the late update again! But I hoped you like this chapter! The first few are always the hardest to write because you have to introduce everyone and blah blah blah but the next few will just be like moments with everyone! So I hope you guys liked it!

To my reviewers, thank you for your support! It's because of you guys that I'm still writing this story! (:


	5. Saving You

Hey guys I'm back with chapter five! Hope you guys like it!

**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own Inuyasha

It had been several days since I met everyone in the castle. It made me very happy that I was getting along with everyone.

On this day I woke with the sunrise again. I laid in bed, watching it rise through my window. It didn't take long for Sango to come and wake me up.

Though we usually sat and talked to each other while I dressed and we both ate breakfast, she seemed to be in a rush this morning.

She came in with only my breakfast and she quickly helped me dress.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. I have a lot of things to get finished today. Maybe tonight we can sit and talk." She gave me an apologetic smile and I nodded.

"Its fine, Sango. I'll just find another way to occupy myself." I laughed a little and she smiled at me as she walked out of my room.

Once she was gone, I decided I'd go out to the rose gardens. Looking through my window, I saw that no one was out by the roses. So I figured I should bring my journal with me. It had been one of the few things I'd packed in my bag before I left.

I left my room and walked down the maze of corridors. I found it odd that I hadn't seen anyone today except for Sango. Maybe this was their resting day and they didn't want to wake up at sunrise. When I reached the door that led outside, I walked into the cool morning air. I could see dew drops forming on all of the flowers and the leaves. The spider webs in the corner looked as if it were rain drops frozen in midair.

Smiling at the serene beauty of the garden, I set off towards the roses. In passing, I gently ran a finger over a small pink rose. It had just barely opened, but I could tell it would be beautiful.

Finding a dry spot in the grass between the rows of rose bushes, I laid down on my stomach and opened my small journal. Though it was technically a journal, I tended to draw in it sometimes. Right now was one of those times.

Laying on my stomach in the morning light, I started to draw my surroundings. Propped up on my elbows, I drew the twists and turns of the rose bushes. Every flower a different shape. Every bloom with unique petals. I started to hum a soft song to myself that I'd often heard Koga's mother sing when we were children.

In the midst of drawing, my attention was diverted. Because of this I didn't hear the footsteps in front of me in the grass. I only noticed the presence when a shadow passed over the patch of sunlight I had been lying in.

When I looked up from my journal, I saw the dark silhouette of Inuyasha staring down at me, eyebrow raised. I offered him a small smile, not giving any indication I noticed his curiosity at my actions. Looking back down, out of the corner of my eye I saw him shift his weight. It took only a few moments for him to sit down in front of me.

"What are you doing?" He looked around him as if it was absurd that I'd spend my time out here.

I laughed a little bit.

"Well it seems that everyone in the castle is either asleep or busy. So I thought I'd amuse myself today." I placed my head in my hands and gave him a playful look. I saw him look down at my journal for a fraction of a second.

"I like to draw things like this. When it's quiet and serene like this, It just seems like the perfect moment to try and capture." He seemed to grow more curious with every word I said. No longer looking at my journal, he seemed to be studying my face.

"Is there anything else you like to do besides drawing?" He sounded truly curious, and I wondered why he was asking these things.

Closing my journal, I sat upright and spread the skirt of my dress around me on the soft grass. I smiled a bit before looking up to meet his golden gaze.

"Well, I do like to read. I feel as if it's as if you're living an entirely different life, all while still living your own." I looked down and fiddled with my hands. Reading was not something I'd been able to do easily where I used to be. My father had usually taken them, saying I had no right to knowledge.

Although Inuyasha's eyebrow was still quirked, he smiled slightly. And he gave me a look that suggested that I keep going.

"I like to sing to. When I was still with my…father…I used to be around my best friend Kouga a lot. He had a little brother and a little sister. When they were both very young, I used to sing them to sleep. They'd had favorites and I'd sing them both their favorite songs." I hadn't realized until right then how much I actually missed them, especially Kouga.

A sad smile crept up when I thought about the old memories we'd shared. Reminding myself not to think of things I couldn't change, I looked back up at Inuyasha. He was staring at my journal, no doubt seeing the roses.

Trying to fill the awkward silence, I spoke next.

"So…Inuyasha. What do you like to do at times like this?" He looked up at my question and raised a brow.

"What do you mean in times like this?" He asked. I giggled slightly.

"I mean when everyone else is busy and it seems like there's really nothing to do?" While waiting for him to answer, I picked up my journal and shut it softly. I placed it in my lap.

"Well, I guess I just walk around. There's not really anything to do here." He stared down at the grass with a bored expression and fiddled with a piece of grass.

I frowned. There had to be something he liked to do. Then a thought came to me. I stood up quite ungracefully and held out my hand to him.

He stared at it skeptically for a moment, but in the end took it.

His hand felt warm in mine, and I blushed slightly. I pulled him towards a large tree that I'd seen from my window the night before. I'd completely forgotten that I'd told myself I'd climb it. It wasn't exactly something a lady would've done.

_But_, I thought to myself, _Ladies deserve to have fun too, right?_ I smiled at the thought. As we neared the large oak tree, I let go of his hand and trotted over to the base. I reached up to grab the lowest branch, then looked behind me at Inuyasha's puzzled face. I laughed.

"Well, come on! Maybe this'll cure your boredom." I smiled and pulled myself up the branches slowly.

When I looked back to where Inuyasha was, he was gone. I furrowed my brow, thinking he'd just gone back to the castle. But when I looked back up, he was three branches ahead of me. He was looking down at me with an amused expression.

"Did you even notice that I was half-demon?" He said it in a joking manner, but I noticed the hint of bitterness in his voice. I pulled myself up to the next branch.

"Well…I knew you weren't human." I admitted, climbing up to the next branch. One of the first things I'd noticed were the white dog ears on top of his head. When I looked back at his face, his brow was furrowed and his faced seemed tense.

"Hey are you okay?" I asked, climbing up another branch. Now I was level with him. He turned his face from me.

"I'm fine." His tone was sharp. I wondered if I'd said something wrong. I watched as he jumped up higher to the base of the tree where all of the branches met the trunk.

I climbed quicker now. It didn't take me long to reach him, but I could still sense that he was upset. I suspected it was what I said about him not being human.

I sat in front of him at the base of the tree. He didn't make eye contact with me, but just kept staring at the ground below. Feeling a little nervous, I touched my fingers to his cheek gently. He stiffened but didn't pull away.

Feeling more confident, I guided his face so that he was facing me. It was something Kouga used to do to me when I cried. He'd make me look at him and he'd tell me everything would be okay, and I'd believe him. I had hoped the same would apply to this, though Inuyasha looked anywhere but at me.

"It doesn't matter what you are. You helped me. You gave me a safe place to be, even though you didn't have to. I'd still like you just the same. Whether you were a full-demon, half-demon, or human." I searched his face for some sign of forgiveness. I felt him relax slightly, and he looked up at me then.

In that moment, I saw the same bone-deep sadness that I'd seen the first moment I saw him.

Not really thinking what I was doing, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his neck to give him a comforting hug. I felt his back stiffen at first, but he eventually relaxed. After a few seconds I pulled away awkwardly.

I saw that his cheeks were pink, and I was sure mine were too. I met his eyes.

"Why are you sad?" I asked. I saw his shoulders droop.

"It's not easy being a half demon." From the tone of his voice, I knew that something must've happened in the past to make him feel this way.

"Why do you say that?" I asked. I sat on my knees, facing him.

"You're not accepted. I'm not quite demon and I'm not quite human. I'm not good enough for the demons, and the humans think I'm a monster." He said sadly. I felt my heart crack a bit.

"I know what you mean." I looked down at my hands and my arms. I could still see dark patches on the skin covering my wrist. I rubbed at them gently, and I felt Inuyasha's gaze on me. I looked at him and I saw the question in his eyes.

"Growing up, I was a no body. Nobody would ever play with me because their parents knew about my father, and they told them to stay away from me. When I became older, girls made fun of me often. I always had bruises covering my skin. Sometimes I had them on my face." Thinking about the tortures of my childhood made it a little hard to breathe. I wrapped my arms around my torso, as if to hold myself together.

"Kouga was the only person to accept me. He'd play with me and stand up for me when the other kids bullied me. He was my best friend." I thought about how I'd always begged him and his family not to do anything to my Dad. I didn't want them to always fight my battles for me.

"So why did you leave, then?" It was a simple question, but it still hurt to think about. Taking a shaky breath, I spoke.

"Kouga and I had been planning to leave together. I wanted to leave with him. But that night, it had been the anniversary of the night my mother died. Although he never talked about her, he was always rougher on those nights. So I knew I had to leave. And somewhere along the line, I realized it was wrong to take Kouga away from his family. So I decided I'd leave on my own." I looked up at him to make sure he was still listening. I continued when I saw his eyes trained on me and his small ears had swiveled to hear.

"I packed a few things that morning, and when I came home from spending the day with Kouga, I planned on leaving. I had hoped that he'd already drank enough for him to pass out. I was wrong. I hadn't heard him and he hit me, pulled my hair, and kicked me. It was nothing I hadn't gone through before but…" I felt my face grow hot and tears pool in my eyes.

"He tried to...to violate me." The tears flowed down my cheeks, but I wouldn't let the sobs escape my lips. I felt Inuyasha slip a warm finger under my chin. He brought my face up, and I saw his eyes full of concern. He wiped away the tears from my cheeks.

"Kagome. No one here will ever hurt you like that. I would never hurt you like that." His voice was sincere and I believed him. I offered a miniscule smile and nodded.

After a few moments in a comfortable silence, I looked up at him again.

"So what about everyone else? Where did everyone come from?" I had been curious about several people. Sango and Shippo mainly. Shippo had taken an instant liking to me. He'd even picked me some wildflowers the other day while we sat outside.

"Well most of the people here weren't always servants, they were actually my friends. Sango, Miroku, Ayame, and I grew up together. Sango always wanted to be a demon slayer, because that was what her father and the rest of her family had been. It turned out that it wasn't what was best for her brother Kohaku. So she ended up here with her brother. She isn't really a servant, but she does help with stuff around the castle. She feels indebted to us." He let out a sigh and shook his head slightly.

I remember meeting Kohaku one day when I was walking around the castle with Sango. He had been outside playing with Shippo. He'd been quite shy when Sango introduced me to him. He'd only said a small greeting.

"Now Miroku, well he's a different story. We've been friends for a really long time but he's always been kind of a lecher." He said shaking his head.

"So that's why he's always so flirtatious?" I asked, laughing slightly. A smile pulled at Inuyasha's mouth and he nodded.

For the rest of the day, Inuyasha and I talked in the base of that tree. At some point throughout the day, he told me it was called the Goshinboku. It was the sacred tree here.

He explained to me about his father and older brother. His father had died a few years ago, and he hadn't seen his brother in almost as long.

As we talked and laughed, I noticed the sun was starting to go down. It was hard to believe we'd been here all day long.

It was an amazing experience to watch the sunset from up here.

Even after the sun was long gone, we climbed up to the highest branches and made our own patterns in the stars.

I wasn't expecting to be so cold up here. I realized I should've brought some thicker clothes. I began to shiver, but as soon as the cold came, it was gone. I felt fabric fall over my shoulders, and I turned to see Inuyasha placing his red jacket around my shoulders.

"Won't you get cold?" I asked. It was warm and soft, and it smelled like him. He chuckled lightly.

"I don't really get cold. I'll be okay." He said, and went back to leaning against one of the branches of the tree. I nodded and leaned back against one of the branches. After several minutes of comfortable silence, I felt my eyes start to drift close.

"Kagome." I heard Inuyasha's voice through the sleepy haze.

"Hmm?" I could feel the darkness coming up quick.

"Come here. If you fall asleep there you'll most likely fall out of the tree." His voice came closer.

Realizing he was right, I forced myself to attention and tried to move from one branch to the next. Still on the verge of sleep, I missed the branch and felt my body plummet forward. Before I could even make a sound, I felt Inuyasha wrap his arms around my waist and hold me up.

Breathing heavily, I looked up to his eyes. We were only a few inches apart, so close that I could feel his heart beating.

"See? You would've fallen." His face didn't hold any amusement, he just kept looking at me. I nodded, and looked down to the ground.

I felt him move and then his back was against the branch. He placed me so my back was to his chest, and I was sitting on the branch between his legs. His arms were still wrapped around my waist.

"What if you fall asleep and we both fall?" I said with a quiet yawn. I felt his chest rumble against my back as he laughed.

"I'm a light sleeper." Not wanting to argue any further, I leaned my head back against his chest and slowly drifted to sleep.

Hello readers! Let me just express to you how incredibly sorry I am for the late update. A lot has been happening in the past few weeks. I got my license, and then five days later, while backing out of my driveway, a lady doing 45 in a 25 came around the corner and hit me. No serious injuries for me, but my truck's been in the shop. I also started school, and the school I go to allows us to take face to face classes at our local community college. So that's always stressful. I've also been getting into fights with several of my friends because of how they're treating me. So It's been a rough few weeks and I apologize sincerely.

Hopefully the updates won't be so far along now. I think the latest would be two weeks. I'll try my best to write more.

To all my reviewers, I love you all immensely, and I'm so grateful for all of you! Thank you for reviewing, favoriting, and following!


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